Amazon Has Two Massive Upcoming Fantasy Shows, But Don’t Expect Them To Be Wheel Of Time Replacements

tqJune 12, 2025

0 3 minutes read

Amazon Prime Video has two new fantasy book adaptations in development that should be massive, but neither is the Wheel of Time replacement fans of the genre are hoping for. The Wheel of Time’s cancellation came after its best run yet, with season 3 achieving nearly unanimous critical and fan acclaim. Despite citing budget and viewership as the reasons behind the show’s premature ending, Amazon isn’t slowing down when it comes to fantasy TV, with more on the way in various development stages.

Fantasy has seen a boom in Hollywood since the end of Game of Thrones, with Amazon devoting premium resources to The Wheel of Time and The Rings of Power, aiming to create a TV series as immersive and addictive as HBO’s epic. Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time books are some of the most prolific in the genre, and in the sense of creating something as sprawling and high-stakes as ‘Thrones, it was certainly a great choice. Now, it looks like Amazon is taking a new angle in its approach to fantasy.

Amazon’s Powerless & Fourth Wing TV Shows Should Be Major Hits

Amazon Has Two Massive Book Adaptations In The Works

Rosamund Pike as Moiraine Damodred in The Wheel of Time.

Amazon only recently announced its adaptation of the YA fantasy series Powerless, by Lauren Roberts, and the adaptation of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros has reportedly been in development since 2023, though updates have been few and far between. The Powerless trilogy mixes elements of high fantasy, romance, and dystopian themes, and is focused around a Hunger Games-like event called the “Purging Trials,” in which the main character, a thief, is forced to compete after saving the prince’s life.

Fourth Wing is one of the most popular modern fantasy novels, with its release in 2023 and the sequels Iron Flame and Onyx Storm following quickly. Together, they compose the Empyrean series, which follows Violet Sorrengail, the daughter of a powerful general who is sent to Basgiath War College to become a dragon rider. As of now, it’s unclear when Fourth Wing will move forward past the development stage, with audiences still waiting on updates.

Powerless & Fourth Wing Will Be Very Different From Wheel Of Time

Both Shows Fall Under The Romance Fantasy Subgenre

Powerless, Five Broken Blades, and The Jasad Heir book covers purple background — Custom image by Yeider Chacon

Though these titles might be popular fantasy, they’re very different from The Wheel of Time. Robert Jordan’s novels came in the late 20th century, when much of the fantasy genre was just riffing off of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. While The Wheel of Time is unique and prolific in many ways, it still has much of the same appeal. Fantasy of the 21st century has unleashed a variety of fresh perspectives, with YA and romance fantasy (romantasy) spreading like wildfire on TikTok and other social media platforms.

Amazon’s Fantasy Future Is Bright, Despite Wheel Of Time’s Cancellation

Hollywood Still Has Faith In The Genre, Even If It’s A Different Approach

Every-Venin-Signet-Power-In-The-Fourth-Wing-Books-After-Onyx-Storm-(Confirmed-&-Theories)

I can understand the perspective of fans who want to see The Wheel of Time and are hearing about YA and romance fantasy being adapted instead. It’s not the same thing, but the benefit of genre waves is that if shows like this succeed, Hollywood will be more willing to invest in epic fantasy titles in the future. The Wheel of Time may take a while to return to circulation, but titles like Malazan and The Stormlight Archive, among others, could have a future once film and television studios regain their footing in the genre.

The 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, as well as the fantasy adaptations that have underperformed, will surely deter studios from spending the big bucks on more shows like The Wheel of Time right now. However, if something like Powerless or Fourth Wing can find success, Amazon might reconsider those other titles as worth looking at again. Not to mention, The Rings of Power is still alive and well, with encouraging support from the studio. What matters for now is that fantasy isn’t dead at Amazon.